Mercer Beach of Walled Lake

Walled Lake, Michigan · on Walled Lake · Mercer Beach

Verified · 3 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: No fee found
SEASON: Best in summer

About Mercer Beach of Walled Lake

Mercer Beach is a City of Walled Lake public park and swimming beach on the shore of Walled Lake in Oakland County, Michigan, located on East Walled Lake Drive a quarter mile east of Pontiac Trail. More town beach than backwoods swimming hole, it gives Oakland County a reliable lake to swim in, with 200 feet of sandy, designated swimming beachfront. The beach has served the community since the city assembled the site (including the original E.V. Mercer family beach) into a park, with a major renovation completed in 2000 funded partly by a 1998 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant.

The beach sits on the shoreline of Walled Lake, a natural inland lake in suburban Oakland County, within a small city park setting rather than a wilderness area. Historic photos on the city's own information sheet show a sandy shoreline with an entrance arch, benches, and swimmers along a calm open-water shoreline.

Swimming at Mercer Beach of Walled Lake

Swimming is in the open, calm waters of Walled Lake off a 200-foot sandy designated beach area, suited to families and casual local swimmers rather than long-distance or adventure swimming; there is no lifeguard on duty, so swimmers are on their own for safety.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located on East Walled Lake Drive, a quarter mile east of Pontiac Trail, in the City of Walled Lake, Michigan.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Mercer Beach is a small City of Walled Lake park directly on East Walled Lake Drive, a quarter mile east of Pontiac Trail; visitors walk straight from street/lot parking onto the 200-foot sandy beachfront with no trail or hike involved.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Small sandy, calm-water lake beach well-suited to families (aggregator describes it as family-friendly with a playground on-site), but the city's own beach rules state there is no lifeguard on duty, so young children should be closely supervised.

Parking

Available

A third-party beach aggregator (BeachEverywhere) describes 'nearby parking available,' but no official city source specifies a dedicated lot, capacity, or fee, so lot type and cost are left unconfirmed.

Restrooms

Yes

Portable/seasonal restroom facilities provided by the City of Walled Lake from Memorial Day through Labor Day (confirmed directly from the city's official Mercer Beach PDF); no permanent restroom building noted.

Hours

Reported by an aggregator listing as 'sunrise to sunset,' but this is not stated on the City of Walled Lake's own park pages or the Mercer Beach info sheet, so treat as unconfirmed.

On the water

Restrictions: The City of Walled Lake's official Mercer Beach rules explicitly state 'No Boats' at this swim beach; this bars kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and motorized craft from being launched or used within the designated swimming area.

Walled Lake itself (670 acres) supports boating for lakefront residents and elsewhere on the lake, but Mercer Beach has no boat launch and is a swim-only designated area, so it is not a watercraft access point.

Backstory

Named for E.V. Mercer, a local telephone company owner whose family had an existing beach on the site. The City of Walled Lake purchased and combined multiple properties, including the Mercer family's beach, to form the park. A 1998 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund funded a major redevelopment completed in spring 2000.

Mercer Beach of Walled Lake: FAQ

Is Mercer Beach of Walled Lake kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Mercer Beach of Walled Lake?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Mercer Beach of Walled Lake?

When is the best time to visit Mercer Beach of Walled Lake?

Summer (portable restroom facilities are provided seasonally from Memorial Day to Labor Day, indicating that as the primary swim season).

What are the rules at Mercer Beach of Walled Lake?

No lifeguard on duty; no boats; no pets; do not feed the waterfowl. The beach undergoes periodic aquatic herbicide treatment during summer months (applied by Savin Lake Services under an EGLE-related permit), during which a 24-hour swimming restriction applies only to the treated area; the city posts closure notices for these treatment periods.

What water body is Mercer Beach of Walled Lake on?

Mercer Beach of Walled Lake is on Walled Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.